What is Progressive Blackjack?

If you are an avid player of slot machines, you may well have encountered the concept of progressive gaming. This is not restricted to slot machines, however, with classic casino games such as roulette and blackjack also creating formats with progressive and potentially more lucrative jackpots. Just recently, William Hill offered customers the opportunity to win big through progressive blackjack, although they may be required to pay higher stakes if they are to keep pace with operators and rival players.

Is Progressive Blackjack a Game for you?

So what exactly is progressive blackjack? In simple terms, it is a format of the game that enables players to win an accumulating progressive through additional side bets. So while the winner of each hand will claim the pot as they would during a standard game of American or European Roulette, progressive blackjack offers players the chance to either embellish their profits or reclaim some of their lost wager. The nature of the side bet will vary according to each operator, although the William Hill example determines the winner based on the number of aces that a player draws during each hand.

The more aces that are drawn, the larger the pay-out, while those fortunate enough to draw four same-colour aces in one hand will claim the entire jackpot. This is an intriguing aspect of the game, and one that entices players due to the fact that they have greater opportunities to win significant funds. It may not be suitable for everyone, however, as the presence of sub-plots and additional pay lines may distract some players from deploying their strategy in the quest to win hands. The most successful players are those who win hands consistently, rather than those you claim progressive side bets.

One more Thing to Consider

On a final note, it is also worth considering that progressive blackjack hands are usually dealt from multiple decks. This can be anywhere between two and six decks, although the William Hill version utilises a six deck shoe that continuously shuffles cards during the course of each game.

While this is nothing unusual, it is worth noting that the use of multiple decks makes for a more unpredictable game. In theory, it also offers players more chance of being dealt a favourable hand, as they are not restricted to a limited number of cards drawn from a single deck.